User reviews

Cold Skin is quite the original unique little tale, but ultimately it fails to deliver on its promises.

It tells the story of a military intelligence man set to do a scientific study on a remote island for a year replacing an existing gentleman. There is nobody on the island bar one, a disgruntled insane from isolation man named Gruner. As night falls he learns that the island holds a terrible secret.

Arguably a "Creature feature" this horror stars the excellent British veteran Ray Stevenson and was made by French/Spanish studios. I'm very glad I came across it because despite its flaws it's quite remarkable, it was nice to find a movie this original and visually pleasing considering that it's not a mega budget film.

The concept is outstanding, the delivery however is very mixed. They manage to make it all look good and Stevenson is on form as usual however the writing is really messy and the film simply should have flowed better.

When the credits rolled I was saddened by the wasted potential here, on paper it had the makings of a fantastic feature but the end result here is something that loses steam at around the 2/3 mark and hits you with a very uninspired ending.

Well worth a watch simply to marvel over what it does have to offer but it's a fine example of a ball being dropped by all involved.

The Good:

Solid concept

Looks great

Ray Stevenson

The Bad:

Loses steam

Wasted potential

Weak finale

The story is somewhat interesting and keeps one's attention. But the strongest attribute of this film is the casting of two very capable British actors, David Oakes and Ray Stevenson, in the main roles. I had only seen Oakes play unlikable characters before, while Stevenson has usually been in more positive roles.

The cinematography, which features picturesque scenes of the isolated island and the surrounding ocean, is also quite good.

As an audience we feel lonely and fragile just like the main character. The movie begins as a horror but slowly turns more action orientated. Early action scenes are very good and unfortunately the get abit repetitive and aren't as good later on. I love all the question this film poses. Set in the back drop of WW1 it does't seem to have connection intill you peice it together. As there aren't many characters in the film you get to know them intimately. Character development is handled well. The CGI looks natural and effects are gratifying. This movie had me hooked and as a result I have ordered the novel it was based upon.

The film is visually appealing, the acting is good and when it touches on philosophical issues here and there, it avoids being too hammy. The plot however is rather thin and has some holes. All in all, it could have been fleshed out more, together with the characters.

Great acting.

Really novel story.

Great visuals , landscapes, music and photography - so what could go wrong?

The whole thing was obviously a morality tale about war and xenophobia and thats fine but the numerous plotholes and inconsistencies and unexplained-ness of the whole thing just made it look a bit silly and illogical.

Such a shame as it grabbed the viewer right from the beginning and had a superlative atmosphere but it became slightly tedious with the unexplained attacks (was it purely xenophobic fish people?) and the just plain weirdness of the sex scenes much like many movies try to shock these days rather than entertain and it does draw similarities with Shape Of Water but sadly it is just above average when it could have been a really great film!

I was drawn to see this movie after reading a brief plot synopsis which had a clear Lovecraftian horror theme (et in the 20's an isolated lighthouse attacked by creatures from the sea). And though this wasn't exactly the movie I wanted it to be, I was satisfied with it. Firstly, this movie is extremely well-made and acted. The location is simply wonderful. I would've preferred the sea creatures to be more grotesque but that wasn't what they were aiming for. This film doesn't explain everything which leaves you thinking about it which works well in this case. I enjoyed too which leads the viewer to wonder just how long the lighthouse keeper had been there and who the original lighthouse keeper was. Not surprisingly, this movie is based on a rather popular foreign novel which received a bit of praise and attention which it apparently is quite faithful to.

This film will not be for everyone (hence the disappointing low rating). For starters, it's almost an exact adaptation from the Spanish (Barcelona, Spain) award wining debut novel (translated to 37 languages) by Albert Sánchez Piñol, and directed almost perfectly by Frenchman Xavier Gens.

It is not your typical big-screen huge budget Hollywood action blockbuster with A-list actors, and thus should not be compared (as other reviews have) to The Shape of Water. Instead, it's an artistic piece shot extremely well that was written by a Spaniard and presented by a Frenchman - definitely no Hollywood here.

The directing, cinematography, landscape, vfx/sfx and score where outstanding - near perfect. The actors (never heard of either) performed exceptionally well and were very convincing.

Yes, there were some avoidable obvious plot issues, which was disappointing considering how great the rest of the production was. However I'm thinking that it was an editing issue and cutting scenes to get the length down to 108 mins, of which considering the slow pace, I'd be complaining on the length, yet it didn't feel that long. It could also be a screenplay adaptation issue from the two novice writers - they did squeeze in as much as they could from the novel, but maybe should have cut certain scenes shorter to fill in the blanks.

I've read some reviewers had questions about certain things that happened. Some of those issue are answered if you stop and think why this happened and/or dig a little deeper into the meaning. Others, you will need to read the book. I did, and have nothing to question, but do understand how others who didn't read the book would have questions.

A very impressive film, unlike any other I have seen, and needs to be appreciated for what it is, and how is was shown. Would I recommend it or see it again? Absolutely. Had better screenwriters adapted the novel, this would have been a perfect 10/10. But still is a well deserved 8.5 rounded up to a 9/10 from me.

Listen, I don't like to give long reviews about movies so I'll make it short. Cold skin starts off Eerie, kind of like Shutter Island, and you can tell that it's going to get dark. However, it takes a turn to the whimsical, which would have been okay with me had it been not so extreme. I mean there is really only 2 minutes of back story as to why they're fighting these things...and then for some reason banging them. It's weird dude, super weird.

Butttttttt, I will give it 4 stars because it is shot really well.

Very enjoyable movie, far better than expected I always enjoy movies that break the mold, well worth watching.

After Frontiere(s), the director went downhill in terms of brutal horror films. The Divide starring Michael Bien which i saw recently inspite of it being almost a decade old is good but this movie's ending ruined everything for me. It has lovely atmosphere n the creatures a bit like the ones from Descent. Inspite of the movie based on one location n only two characters, it is gripping n entertaining but once again i repeat that the ending ruined it.

One of the reviewer wrote that the actors r never heard of. I think he is mistaken or mayb he didn't recognize Ray Stevenson.

What starts like an naturalist's adventure ends up a rather different genre. just like in a tower defense game the creators of the movie show us multiple rounds of enemy atacks with characters' weapons being upgraded every round and enemy count rising. the ending is abrupt and senseless

Camera work wasn't bad, special effects were pretty good, but that's it. Ridiculously stupid plot, beyond wasteful moronic slave master.

It starts out with the moron stating that they have less than 2000 rounds of ammo, then they go on to use at least dozens of rounds each almost every night.... for some reason he also has hundreds of flares, and shoots one off nightly, for no reason whatsoever.

The toad people also can't seem to push open a very light bit of drop down window defenses.

The two morons clearly had some basic supplies, so why didn't they just properly barricade the doors/openings?

Wow, this is a diamond in the rough. I think I can say without spoiling that this movie is mainly about, and you often only see, 3 characters ... which is exactly what it needs. Yet don't think this is your regular low actor count (i.e. Low budget) film. It is well thought out and well acted (and actually quite a few extras, on occasion).

My hottest button, the script, is incredibly well done. The story is something a bit new, and not just a rehash of the same old crud coming out of the production houses. The scenery and direction are beyond reproach, to include even the timing and editing. The acting is as good as it gets.

All in all, this is not one you want to pass up.

A man gets a dull job on a desolate island to measure wind and rain with only a crazy man and a tribe of underwater creatures seemingly bent on their destruction for company.

This is certainly different and a noble attempt to make an undoubtedly Lovecraft influenced original piece. It works well to start with by building up the story narrated by the lead, however once it's clear what's going on and the creatures are out in the open it doesn't offer anything different and just keeps doing the same thing for most of the remainder of the film. The lead's motives are understood and well articulated, although those of his crazed partner are somewhat less clear.

A good effort.

A dark story of what colonialism might have been to the indigenous habitats of a newly discovered land. Wonderfully shot cinematography followed by brilliant musical score and unforgettable story. Very enjoyable.

Cold Skin is a captivating and intense film that tells a unique story set on a remote island in the Antarctic. The film follows the journey of a weather observer who is sent to the island to relieve the previous inhabitant, but upon arrival he realizes that he is not alone on the island. The film is expertly directed by Xavier Gens and boasts stunning cinematography that captures the raw beauty of the island and its stunning landscapes.

The acting in the film is top-notch, particularly by the lead actors, David Oakes and Ray Stevenson, who deliver powerful performances that add depth to their characters and immerse the audience in the story. The film also features an intriguing storyline that keeps the audience engaged throughout its running time. It is a story of survival, human nature, and the thin line between good and evil.

One of the standout elements of Cold Skin is its unique creature design. The creatures in the film are both terrifying and intriguing, and their presence on the island creates a constant sense of tension and fear. The special effects used to bring these creatures to life are fantastic, and the attention to detail in their design and movement is truly impressive.

Overall, Cold Skin is a must-watch film for fans of sci-fi, horror, and survival stories. Its powerful performances, stunning visuals, and unique storyline make it a standout film in its genre. Whether you're a fan of the genre or just looking for a captivating and intense film, Cold Skin is well worth your time.

Do not be fooled by the moderately high rating; this movie is terrible. It is not a diamond in the rough, hidden, cult horror film. It is just bad, all the way through. The story in its essence might have been worth a 6/10, but once you add the actual writing (that ranges from bland to hysterically bad) and the non-sensical scene cuts, you find yourself wading slowly out into a weird ocean of nothingness. You want it to fix itself but it never does. It is all pain for no pay off. Just spare yourself the agony of the slow, miserable death that is watching this movie.

I really enjoyed this film for what it was - an entertaining escape from reality. I'm not some movie viewer that watches a movie and tries to pick it apart. I watch for entertainment and to experience a reality that's not my own. In that regard this movie was successful. I think the crew did a great job conveying a sense of isolation in a forgotten and virtually unknown section of the world. The cinematography and acting was well done in my opinion, more so the cinematography than acting. There were some themes about war, enemies and the duality of human violence and empathy that were well presented. The more I think about this movie the more I like it. I'd give it a 6.7/10. If you're looking to escape to a dramatic and unique world full of fantasy and humanoid sea races in a beautiful location then this movie is worth watching.

It was a lot better than I thought it would be. The setting was beautiful and they captured it well. The story moved slowly at times, but kept my attention too. The action became a little repetitive. I was more intrigued with the relationship between the creature and the 2 humans. I would have liked to have more of an explanation of how the creature changed when she left and a little more about what happened later on. Good movies always keep you wanting more I guess. The acting was good and the special effects were good. I wouldn't mind a sequel to see how their relationship evolved. Worth the watch.